Astros Minor League Recaps

Sunday's Games

Oklahoma City over Colorado Springs 5-2
Jake Buchanan (W, 4-2) went the first seven, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four, and was followed by perfection from Jason Stoffel and Kevin Chapman out of the bullpen. OKC got on the board early with a George Springer (2x4 RBI R) single driving in Trevor Crowe (3x3 2R) in the first, and put two more up on a Brandon Laird (2x4) two-run double. Rene Garcia (1x4) singled in the final two runs in the sixth. Ruben Sosa was two-for-two.

Corpus Christi over Midland 2-1 in 10 innings
It was a terrific AA debut by David Rollins as he pitched five and two-thirds innings, allowing only one run on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Jonas Dufek and Pat Urckfitz pitched the final four and a third scoreless innings. The Hooks took advantage of an error and a walk to score their first run in the bottom of the eighth to tie things up. Max Stassi (2x5 2B R) hit a ground rule double in the 10th and scored on a Domingo Santana single for the walk off win. Kike Hernandez was two-for-four, and both Erik Castro and Michael Burgess doubled in the game.

Lancaster over High Desert 6-5
The Heart Attack 'Hawks are back with another come-from-behind win. Down 5-1 going into the fifth, the JetHawks put up five unanswered runs while starter Colton Cain (6.1IP 11H 5R/2ER 0BB 2SO HR) and the bullpen (Michael Dimock, Travis Ballew and Kenny Long) kept High Desert off the scoreboard for the final five innings. Luis Alvarez' solo shot in the third accounted for Lancaster's first run. They scored three more in the fifth with help from High Desert's two errors, a walk and a wild pitch, and two more in the seventh as High Desert loaded the bases with no outs by way of two walks and a hit batter. Because of the High Desert miscues, Lancaster scored its six runs on only seven hits, six of them singles. Matt Duffy was one-for-four with two RBI.

Cedar Rapids over Quad Cities 3-2
Brian Holmes got his first start for Quad Cities since completing his rehab assignment with the GCL and did a nice job. He threw six innings (2H 2BB 3SO) with only one run coming across in the first inning as a lead-off triple came around to score in the frame. Daniel Minor pitched two scoreless innings before giving way to Juan Minaya who gave up two runs (one earned) to give Cedar Rapids the walk off-win. Quad Cities drew first blood in the first inning with a bases-loaded walk, but didn't score again until the ninth inning when Teoscar Hernandez doubled and was driven in by a Carlos Correa (3x5) single. Danry Vasquez was two-for-five and scored a run, and Dan Gulbransen drew three walks in the game.

Tri-City over Aberdeen 9-3
Zach Morton (5.2IP 3H 2R 1BB) got the start and the much-needed win. Andrew Walter did a great job with a perfect two and a third innings and four strikeouts. J.D. Osborne gave up the final Aberdeen run in the ninth. Tri-City had the lead from the third inning on, but it was a slim 3-2 lead going in to the eighth. Six runs scored in the final two innings gave the 'pen all the breathing room they needed to end the losing streak at nine games. The first runs came in the third on a Brett Booth sac fly and a Conrad Gregor RBI double, and another in the fourth as Ronnie Mitchell (3x5 2B 3R) doubled and was driven in by a Ryan Dineen single. The 'Cats got four runs across in the eighth on only two singles, thanks to four walks, five wild pitches from two different pitchers and a throwing error. The final two came in the ninth on a Jon Kemmer RBI double and a Ryan Dineen sac fly. James Ramsay went two-for-five with a double and stole a base.

As a side note, congratulations are due to LHP Chris Cotton, RHP Michael Feliz and SS Chan Moon as they were named to the New York-Penn League All-Star squad.

Greeneville over Kingsport 17-1
See Appy Astros Eyewitness report of the game here.

Player of the Day: Marc Wik went four-for-five with a triple, drove in three and scored three in the huge Greeneville win. Wik was injured when I saw him in Greeneville last season, but he is obviously healthy now. He has hit .389/.488/.444 in his last 10 games.

Pitcher of the Day: Jordan Mills' start for Greeneville was simply terrific - only two hits and no walks allowed in five innings and striking out seven for the win.